Data reveals Ted Thompson's draft success

MintBaconDrivel
Senior Member Topic Starter

8 years ago

Fans of the Green Bay Packers are fortunate to have a stellar General Manager.

A month before the 2013 season, Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson was in trouble. He needed someone to protect his quarterback's blind side.

Bryan Bulaga, a former first-round pick, was poised to safeguard Aaron Rodgers. But Bulaga tore his ACL during the Packers' Family Night scrimmage. One week into training camp, his season was done.

Thompson turned to David Bakhtiari, a rookie drafted in the fourth round three months earlier. Before the draft, analysts predicted Bakhtiari would eventually move inside to guard. Now he was an MVP quarterback's most valuable blocker.

Franchise left tackles are rarely available in the fourth round, but that's what the Packers found. Bakhtiari has started all 32 games in his career, 35 counting playoffs. At a premier position, where salaries soar past $10 million, the man protecting Rodgers' back is the NFL's 83rd-highest paid offensive tackle.

Green Bay Packers GM Ted Thompson talks about the Packers’
Green Bay Packers GM Ted Thompson talks about the Packers’ 2015 first-round draft pick Damarious Randall on April 30.
(Photo: File/Press-Gazette Media)
It's the kind of draft magic Thompson routinely conjures. Need a running back? Trade back into the second round, take Eddie Lacy. Out of options at inside linebacker? Insert Sam Barrington, a former seventh-rounder.

Since 2005, Thompson has built the Packers' infrastructure through the NFL draft. He's gained respect across the league, former Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage said, for his ability to find gems who competitors overlook.

"I think of all 32 teams," Savage said, "they're the ones that are the most devoted to the NFL draft."

Must Read More ...

PackersNews wrote:

Delivering the latest and most important updates on the Green Bay Packers for your convenience.

Wanna join the discussion?! Login to your PACKERSHOME forum account or Register a new forum account

gbguy20
Veteran Member

8 years ago

Hell of a data set.

uffda udfa
Veteran Member

8 years ago

My goodness...make it stop. :)

Of course, we're going to have more starts because we don't bring guys in from the outside. Just like we have more snaps per UDFA's not because we're special but because we do things on the cheap and add more of these guys than other teams. We shop at the dollar store...other teams shoot a little higher. Of course, it's much easier to shop at the dollar store when you have a QB who carries so much of the weight of the teams success on his back.

The article is garbage and like saying water is wet. Yes, the Packers value the draft more than any other team. We get it. We play more draft picks than anyone else because that's who we have on our roster. We get it. How that makes Ted "stellar" is a mystery.

Too bad that "stellar" doesn't apply to drafting defense, but then, again, all it really is is about how many snaps draftees are playing not the actual impact they make during those snaps.

Honestly, I'm not trying to pick a fight but are fans really that dumb? Really?

Ted Thompson sits on his hands per former GM: "because they’ve had 25 fricking years of great quarterbacks. Of course it works. Try it without a special quarterback."

Zero2Cool
Elite Member

8 years ago

The data lost my interest when it say something about going back to Ted Thompson's first season. How many GM's have had the same tenure with the same coach? I'd put more stock into data going back five seasons.

nerdmann
Premier Member

8 years ago

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool

How many GMs hire the right coach?

Btw, Ted didn't just draft Eddie Lacy. He got Johnathan Franklin too.

“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”

uffda udfa
Veteran Member

8 years ago

How many GMs hire the right coach?

Btw, Ted didn't just draft Eddie Lacy. He got Johnathan Franklin too.

Originally Posted by: nerdmann

He didn't hire the right coach...he drafted the right QB.

What does drafting Franklin have to do with the price of tea in China?

Ted Thompson sits on his hands per former GM: "because they’ve had 25 fricking years of great quarterbacks. Of course it works. Try it without a special quarterback."

Important Information:

The PACKERSHOME uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. More Details Close

Fan Shout

dfosterf (5h) : Kidding aside, I hope the best for him.

dfosterf (5h) : Went to a Titans board. One comment there. Not very long. I quote: "LOL" They don't sound overly upset about our aquisition.

beast (5h) : OT Dillard has been absolutely horrible... like OG Newman levels

dfosterf (6h) : Suit him up and have him stand in front of the big board as a draft day cautionary tale.

Zero2Cool (6h) : Packers sign T Andre Dillard.

Mucky Tundra (21h) : Adds most of the information this time of year comes from agents.

Mucky Tundra (21h) : @RealAlexBarth Bill Belichick says accurate draft information doesn't leak from teams until about 12 hours before the draft. Adds most of th

Mucky Tundra (21h) : I am very happy that for moment, Jordan Love seems like a normal human being

Zero2Cool (17-Apr) : Belichick * whatever

Zero2Cool (17-Apr) : "There's a lot of depth at Offensive Tackle and Wide Receiver." Bill Bellichick

Zero2Cool (17-Apr) : Thanks! I can't believe it's over haha

Martha Careful (16-Apr) : Congratulations

Zero2Cool (16-Apr) : Boom. Student Loan. $0.00. Only took about 20 years.

Zero2Cool (14-Apr) : Packers DT Kenny Clark: New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will 'allow us to be way more disruptive'

Zero2Cool (12-Apr) : Saints have agreed to terms on a contract with former Packers wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown.

beast (12-Apr) : No, but of it's for legislation, then half of the country will find it evil, not good, whatever it says....

Mucky Tundra (12-Apr) : Draft is still 2 weeks away. UGH

dhazer (11-Apr) : Does anyone know of a good AI generator to create letters of Support for legislation?

Zero2Cool (11-Apr) : Gordon "Red" Batty retires as equipment manager

Zero2Cool (10-Apr) : Sounds like that's pretty certain now.

Zero2Cool (10-Apr) : Packers "at" Eagles in Brazil. Week One

dfosterf (10-Apr) : Va' Fazer As Malas Va' !

Zero2Cool (9-Apr) : Mark Murphy tipping us off?

Zero2Cool (9-Apr) : “We’re either the first- or second-most popular team in Brazil.”

Zero2Cool (9-Apr) : Christian Watson got married. Wife better be careful with those hamstrings!! 😂😂

dfosterf (9-Apr) : Those poor bastards

Zero2Cool (8-Apr) : Falcons have signed former Packers CB Kevin King, who has been out of football since 2021.

dfosterf (8-Apr) : Collectively, we need to spend more time in what we have, when analyzing ostendible needs and historical proclivities

dfosterf (8-Apr) : I say he is better than so many of these draft picks

dfosterf (8-Apr) : Question of the week for me: Has anyone besides me done any deep dive into the potential of Alex McGough, our 3rd string qb?

Zero2Cool (8-Apr) : Or in Tunsil's case, something gets released day of draft or day before lol

Zero2Cool (8-Apr) : Seems every year someone does something pre-draft.

dfosterf (8-Apr) : Falling down drunk. The draft board

dfosterf (8-Apr) : Allright! Potential character guy/f#×k up pickup in D'Vondre Sweat!

Zero2Cool (7-Apr) : Go Badgers!!!

Martha Careful (6-Apr) : Go Boilermakers!!!

Martha Careful (5-Apr) : Diggs has not stepped up in the playoffs and has a high cost

beast (5-Apr) : Probably not going to let Diggs walk away unless he's horrible... but according to reports he also might not be as good as he used to be.

beast (5-Apr) : The 25th pick in the draft has been an offensive player since 2017, 2 TE, 2 WR, 1 RB, 1 OC

Mucky Tundra (5-Apr) : Odd, why give up a 2025 2nd Rounder for him if you're just gonna let him walk?

Zero2Cool (4-Apr) : Texans to let Diggs be free agent in '25

buckeyepackfan (4-Apr) : 49r's aign RB Patrick Taylor.

Martha Careful (4-Apr) : Reversion to the mean would indicate we will keep it

Zero2Cool (4-Apr) : It's also been utilized in a trade in 14 of the past 20 years

Zero2Cool (4-Apr) : The 25th pick in the draft hasn't been made by it's original holder since 2016.

Mucky Tundra (4-Apr) : Gotta imagine that Green Bay vs Houston will be a primetime game this upcoming season

Zero2Cool (3-Apr) : No. Kill QB. No worries. 😁

Mucky Tundra (3-Apr) : Diggs, Collins, Dell and Schultz is gonna be tough to cover

Zero2Cool (3-Apr) : Stefon Diggs' trade will not be processed as a post-June 1 designation, so that is just over $31 million in dead cap this year.

Zero2Cool (3-Apr) : Bills trading WR Stefon Diggs to the Texans in exchange for a 2025 2nd-round pick. (via @rapsheet)

Please sign in to use Fan Shout

2023 Packers Schedule

Sunday, Sep 10 @ 3:25 PM

Bears

38 - 20

Sunday, Sep 17 @ 12:00 PM

Falcons

24 - 25

Sunday, Sep 24 @ 12:00 PM

SAINTS

18 - 17

Thursday, Sep 28 @ 7:15 PM

LIONS

20 - 34

Monday, Oct 9 @ 7:15 PM

Raiders

13 - 17

Sunday, Oct 22 @ 3:25 PM

Broncos

17 - 19

Sunday, Oct 29 @ 12:00 PM

VIKINGS

10 - 24

Sunday, Nov 5 @ 12:00 PM

RAMS

20 - 3

Sunday, Nov 12 @ 12:00 PM

Steelers

19 - 23

Sunday, Nov 19 @ 12:00 PM

CHARGERS

23 - 20

Thursday, Nov 23 @ 11:30 AM

Lions

29 - 22

Sunday, Dec 3 @ 7:20 PM

CHIEFS

27 - 19

Monday, Dec 11 @ 7:15 PM

Giants

22 - 24

Sunday, Dec 17 @ 12:00 PM

BUCCANEERS

20 - 34

Sunday, Dec 24 @ 12:00 PM

Panthers

33 - 30

Sunday, Dec 31 @ 7:20 PM

Vikings

33 - 10

Sunday, Jan 7 @ 3:25 PM

BEARS

17 - 9

Sunday, Jan 14 @ 3:30 PM

Cowboys

48 - 32

Saturday, Jan 20 @ 7:15 PM

49ers

21 - 24